Death's A Mystery
by Astra Greenleaf
Summary: Harry Potter is DEAD! That's right, dead and it's up to Hermione to figure out who did. Can you solve the puzzle before Hermione can?
1. Default Chapter

"I don't care, Harry! Hermione is better suited for me! With all the enemies you've got she'd have her head blown off!"  
  
"Hermione likes me better and you know it! You're jealous!"  
  
Ron abandoned his previous position on the common room couch in favor of standing over Harry. "Jealous? Jealous! I've never heard of a more ridiculous idea!" Ron cried in outrage. "I'm taking Hermione to the Halloween Ball and there's nothing you can do about it!"  
  
"Excuse me!" Hermione stalked in through the portrait hole. "What drug are the two of you on! I am not a possession!"  
  
Both boys had the dignity to at least look ashamed as Hermione stormed off.  
  
"Look what you've done! Are you happy now?" Ron fumed before stalking out of the common room to breakfast.  
  
Harry sighed. Great, now he had no date for the Halloween Ball tonight and it was all Ron's fault. He shrugged at least he could say he had been invited for his Quidditch abilities. That would make Ron mad. Only six people had been invited for academic or athletic skill. Harry sighed again before turning to find a costume for the Ball.  
  
But as he turned he rammed right into Ginny Weasley, she had been invited for academics, being in sixth year she'd come a long way from first year.  
  
"Watch where you're going!" Harry growled.  
  
"Sorry." Ginny muttered "But Harry, I was wondering, would you."  
  
"What?!" Harry demanded heatedly.  
  
"Well, would, you ah take me to the ball tonight." She sped through.  
  
"No!" Was the automatic reply as Harry swept up to his dorm room.  
  
The night rolled around and as every one else cleared the school to give the 'over achievers' their privacy. Every other child was taking a class in Kalamazoo on ocean crabs, even the professors. Dumbledore did have the sense though to lock the six students in so they couldn't leave the building and cause trouble.  
  
Harry was the first to arrive in the adorned Great Hall. All about him were Halloween activities, bobbing for apples, trying to eat a pie off a string and a huge banquet table already set with scrumptious dishes for the 'lucky' student's consumption.  
  
"The plastic tail protruding from your butt really pulls your look together Potter." Harry whirled around to lay eyes on Draco garbed as a vampire. "Why are you looking Malfoy?" Harry shot back.  
  
"I had no choice in the matter Potter, it isn't my fault your bum is so large it block out all other forms of matter within my eye sight."  
  
Harry just glared, but his attention was quickly pulled away by Hermione who waltzed into the Hall at that moment. She looked elegant dressed in silk robes mocking the princesses of medieval times, complete with a rope belt around her waist and a crown upon her head.  
  
"Where is everyone?" She asked, surveying the room.  
  
Then Pansy and Ron came bustling in. Ron was dressed as Frankenstein boasting huge chains that clanked on the ground in a rather annoying manner. Pansy was a black cat, bearing huge metal claws on the ends of her fingers.  
  
Ginny followed her brother slightly afterward, wrapped in angel attire, with a harp and halo. She smiled at Hermione as she passed to take a seat at the dinner table.  
  
"No not yet!" Pansy cried as everyone began to copy Ginny's decision of feasting.  
  
Draco arched a eye brow. "Why not?"  
  
"We have to bob for apples first." She reasoned.  
  
"Oh yeah." Hermione reflected on the Halloween tradition.  
  
Every one rose and strolled over to the huge metal pail filled with apples.  
  
"You first, Harry." Ron suggested.  
  
Harry shrugged. "Sure." He bent his head to scoop up one of the several fruits floating about and suddenly the lights went out plunging the room into darkness.  
  
Hermione screamed. The lights came back on and Harry was face down in the water. Draco walked over and lifted his head. "Drowned." He analyzed. "Potter's dead."  
  
************************************************************************How do you like it? Let me know. Oh and I'd also like to know who you suspect if any one. Later. 


	2. The Search Begins

Okay I've decided that I'm going to make this a sequel to my last on, The Field Trip, If you've never read it, it's basically about romance between Hermione and Draco. If you think they're enemies in this one, you're very wrong, Just Harry and Ron and Draco are enemies.  
  
"What?" Hermione screamed as she rushed to Harry's limp form. She checked for a pulse and got none.  
  
Draco pulled her to her feet slowly. "Hermione, it won't do any good if you're hysterical." He dropped his voice an octave in an attempt to sooth her.  
  
"You think this is hysterical. No, this isn't hysterical, THIS IS HYSTERICAL!!" Hermione screamed breaking into louder sobs.  
  
Ginny walked over to the couple and placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "I think what he means is that if we don't know who it is, we're all gonna die."  
  
Draco nodded the affirmative. "Since everyone is gone but the six-five of us, we can safely assume that the killer is one of us."  
  
Everyone leered at each other suspiciously. "But just to be sure, we should search the castle. Agreed?"  
  
All bobbed their heads at Draco's suggestion. But Pansy interrupted him. "But there are so few of us, how do you expect us to search the whole castle by the time the night's over?"  
  
Draco smiled. "We'll split up."  
  
Ron's brow furrowed "I don't think that's such a good idea."  
  
"Do you have any better ideas Weasley?"  
  
Ron's temper flared "Yeah, I do. How 'bout we stay here."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes "Oh yes, stay here and be sitting ducks for the killer. Brilliant."  
  
"Stop it." Interjected Hermione firmly. "I'm the smartest person here, I'll decide what we're gonna do."  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow, but refrained from speaking.  
  
"I say we split up." Hermione decided.  
  
Draco smiled smugly at Ron and Hermione thumped Draco on the chest as a reprimand, but he just laughed.  
  
"Okay, uh, I say Draco can handle this on his own so, Pansy come with me, and Ginny go with your brother. Pansy and I will go right, Ron, go left, and Draco go forward, give a yell if you find the killer."  
  
As they all made to leave the hall the lights illuminating the Hall began to flicker and a high-pitched eerie voice began to sing,  
  
Five that aren't dead And the little one said Kill that one, kill that one So I took my weapon and I killed just one.  
  
Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and began to walk to the door decidedly. She felt Draco's hand of reassurance briefly before they separated in opposite directions.  
  
************************************************************************Well ? I've decided to make this a romance spontaneously for no apparent reason. This story was originally supposed to be an amusing little mystery but I changed my mind. Tell me if you think I should leave the change. Thanks. Bye. 


	3. String?

Hey all!!!! I'm back. One of you got the murderer right! I was amazed! Oh well. I guess I'll have to make the rest of the characters more suspicious.  
  
Draco walked down the blackened corridors fluidly, his silver eyes glinting maliciously in the moonlight.  
  
Potter was dead. This fact was oddly disorientating to Draco. Oh well he'd find who ever did it and then they'd pay.  
  
"Ginny, be quiet!" Ron hissed at his sister when he noticed her white high- heeled shoes smacking the ground loudly.  
  
Ginny shrugged and slipped the shoes off. She and Ron had some how managed to find their way to the Transfiguration classroom. Suddenly Ron's ears picked up a strange sound. He turned to Ginny. "Do you hear that?"  
  
Ginny nodded slowly and moved forward to find the origin of the sound. She noticed that Ron wasn't following her. She walked back to her brother, grasped him by the forearm and pulled him forward with her.  
  
They walked up to the source of the sound, McGonagall's desk, and peered under it.  
  
"Neville?" Ginny asked stunned.  
  
"Neville, what are you doing here?"  
  
Neville looked up from his place under the desk. "I'd forgotten my bag and came back to get it and they left without me. Then all the lights went out and I heard screaming, I was so scared I ran and hid under this desk."  
  
Ron extended a hand and helped Neville to his feet. "Yeah, someone killed Harry, and we're looking for the murderer." Ron explained, anger tingeing his voice.  
  
"Don't leave me in here all alone!" Neville suddenly cried, clasping the front of Ron's robes.  
  
"It's all right Neville, you can help us." Ginny assured.  
  
Relief passed over the brunette's face as he followed them out of the room.  
  
The library doors creaked as Hermione pushed the heavy oak forward and Pansy followed her inside.  
  
The bookshelves seemed eerie, standing like silent sentinels in the room. Hermione shivered. She had always loved the library, but now she was terrified and sorry she had chosen to come here. She and Pansy crept silently through the shelves in search of clues. Pansy combed the library in search of Hermione and when she couldn't find her assumed that the snob had abandoned her. She strutted out of the room, extremely annoyed.  
  
Hermione heard the heavy door slam against it's hinges and jumped. Where was Pansy? Had the killer found Pansy too? Hermione shuddered. What if the killer was in the room with her right now? What if he were right behind her?  
  
Hermione felt a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
A hand clapped over her mouth. Her attacker turned her around.  
  
"Shhhhh. It's just me." Draco whispered.  
  
Hermione sighed heavily. "Don't do that. There's a killer on the loose, so stop with the silent shadow slinking okay?"  
  
He raised an eyebrow "Silent shadow slinking?"  
  
"Just don't do it okay?"  
  
His mouth curled "I'll try?"  
  
She glared at him but the library door thumped again. Someone had entered the room.  
  
Draco circled Hermione's wrist with his fingers and pulled her back into the shadows.  
  
"This silent shadow thing." Hermione hissed.  
  
"Shhhhh." Draco placed a finger over her lips as a black figure slunk past.  
  
It was humming in a high-pitched voice the same song that had played over the intercom after Harry's untimely demise. The figure moved out of the library after assuring itself there were no potential victims within.  
  
Draco waited until the humming faded to release Hermione. She was trembling with all the adrenaline pumping through her body.  
  
Draco glanced down at a small item that was in the aisle the killer had walked through. It was a tiny string. Draco furrowed his brow. String? Why would a killer be carrying string. There was the possibility that the killer was extremely stupid or that the killer had known that they were there the whole time and had left it in the room just to confuse them. This last thought caused Draco slight unease. If he had lost his ability to hide they were all screwed. Hermione came up behind him and inspected the string curiously. "What a freak."  
  
Draco chuckled softly. "Only you would call a psychopathic, string carrying killer a freak, Hermione."  
  
"Well it's true. Honestly what murderer wanders around with string."  
  
Draco shrugged. "All I know is that it's not either of us, apparently, so I guess we can trust each other to solve the mystery."  
  
Hermione laughed. "Trust you? I'd have to be insane."  
  
"You are." He replied smoothly.  
  
She stuck her tongue out at him and he shook his head. "I don't get it."  
  
Hermione made a face. "Don't get what?"  
  
"You, you little hellion."  
  
Hermione's jaw dropped open. "Hellion?"  
  
"Yes, hellion. H-E-L-L-I-O-N."  
  
Hermione brought her fist down on his chest but she didn't pull it away quick enough and Draco caught her hand and dragged her against him. "See? You're always getting into trouble."  
  
He brushed his lips across hers as the door thumped again.  
  
************************************************************************ Ta da! Don't you love my story? I'm getting some interesting guesses on the identity of the killer. Filch? Oh well. See ya 


	4. Confessions And Crabbe

Wandering whose joined them? Here is your answer.  
  
Draco turned at the sound just in time to see the bulk of Vincent Crabbe.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes "What are you doing here Crabbe?"  
  
Crabbe scratched his head. "I got an owl that said to go to the Great Hall and there'd be food. I went and there was food and I ate it."  
  
"That's very fascinating, but what are you doing here?" Draco's temper began to flare and Hermione put a placating hand on his arm.  
  
Crabbe scratched his head again. "Uh, I was looking for Goyle and that word for not on purpose found this room."  
  
Draco smacked his hand to his forehead "He's here too?"  
  
Crabbe nodded stupidly. "Yep, do you have food boss?"  
  
"Yes Crabbe, I am a walking buffet provided solely for your eating habits." Draco's voice dripped with sarcasm.  
  
"Really? Cool."  
  
Draco looked heavenward "No not really you idiot, lets go before I'm tempted to smack you."  
  
Crabbe shrugged. "Okay." He followed Draco and Hermione out of the library.  
  
Pansy was fuming. How dare that little bitch leave her all alone. Hermione had to be the murderer. That was it.  
  
Pansy's mental battle was brought to an abrupt halt as she rammed into Goyle. She blinked "Goyle? What are you doing here?"  
  
Goyle was leaning against a wall nonchalantly. Pansy waited for his response and quickly became frustrated. "Hello, you imbecile, I asked you a question." She walked closer and soon it was apparent why Goyle had recently become inarticulate.  
  
Blood oozed from a great stab through his heart and his eyes were bloated with terror. Pansy screamed loader than she had ever screamed in her life.  
  
Ron heard a bloodcurdling cry and immediately ran in that direction, Neville and Ginny hot on his heels. Ron eventually came to Pansy and wrapped his arms around her for comfort, (Author's Note: If you haven't read the field trip Pansy and Ron were an item).  
  
Neville passed out at the blood and Ginny stooped to revive him. Ron assessed the situation calmly. Obviously Goyle had been stabbed through the heart with a dinner knife. The question was who had a dinner knife on them? Ron decided it was best they leave. He smacked Neville on the top of his skull and he automatically woke up.  
  
Ginny peered at him in awe. "What'd you do?"  
  
Ron shrugged "When you're roommates with people you learn how to wake them up." He stated walking away.  
  
A high-pitched voice dominated the intercom once more. "More for the game? That's just fine. We'll play all night until all of you die!" It caroled, ending with a maniacal giggling.  
  
Draco smiled at the intercom. "Kill me? Take your best shot. I'm ready!" He yelled down the corridor.  
  
Hermione shook her head. "Are you suicidal?"  
  
"No. I'm just getting sick of this."  
  
"Oh so we yell at killers to kill us often do we?"  
  
"Yes, we do."  
  
"You're insane."  
  
"Do you honestly think someone could kill me?" He countered softly.  
  
"Yes, Draco! You aren't immortal despite what you might think."  
  
He smiled "So you worry about me?"  
  
Hermione sighed, exasperated. "Yes, I worry about you."  
  
"Well don't." He replied simply.  
  
Suddenly Pansy appeared at the opposite end of the corridor they had been strolling down.  
  
"Hermione quick! It's Neville! He's dying! He said he wants to talk to you! He was attacked with an arrow in the back while we were walking down the hall!" Pansy cried as she switched direction and led Hermione to Neville's weak form.  
  
She kneeled beside him "Oh, Neville." She whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
Neville reached up to brush the tear away. "I just wanted to let you know, before I died that, I, I've always loved you Hermione. Ever since first year when you saved Trevor from that plant in Herbology. I knew you were the one, beautiful, smart, kind. I always cared about you. But it's too late now. Goodbye Hermione, at least I could see you one last time. Take care of Trevor."  
  
Neville's head rolled to the side, limp. Hermione's tears fell on his pale face. Draco put his hands on her shoulders.  
  
The intercom turned back on. "Three that are dead and the little one said kill one more, kill one more, so I took my weapon and I killed one more. Here I come! You're next Hermione!"  
  
Hermione's widened in horror.  
  
Oh no! Hermione's gonna die! Or is she? Later. 


	5. The Killer Is Who?

Hello. I return! Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! Okay I'm done now. Did I already mention that this was a sequel to my previous story the Field Trip. If not, it is. Keep sending me guesses! On to the story!  
  
Hermione moved closer to Draco and he instantly wrapped his arms around her protectively.  
  
He leaned down "You're under my protection Hermione." Draco assured her.  
  
She laughed "That's supposed to make me feel better?" Her voice quivered with fear.  
  
He wasn't fooled by her flippant words. She was scared, she was trembling and her knees were buckled. He shook his head.  
  
Her eyes flashed at him "Don't shake your head at me! If a cold blooded killer said they were gonna kill you, you'd be just as shaken!"  
  
He grinned. "I doubt it."  
  
"Oh shut up."  
  
He laughed and she tried to pull away from him. He released her and she picked up the obscure toad on top of Neville's corpse.  
  
Draco shook his head as they began walking again. That bloody toad would be the end of them all.  
  
The five students walked down the deserted passageways quietly. They knew they had to find a way out but the main entrance was locked along with every other exit.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Hermione suddenly halted causing Pansy to run into her.  
  
"What?" Demanded Pansy in annoyance.  
  
"If this person is talking over the intercom they must be in one of the four house offices!" Hermione cried triumphantly.  
  
Draco nodded. "But we have one small problem, Nancy Drew."  
  
She turned to him "What is that, Sherlock oh, excuse me, Dracula?"  
  
He exposed his fangs in mock threat "Vell, ve don't have anyone from ze Ravenclaw and a Ufflepuff Ouses. You ze, I already sucked dere blood."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Curse you, you're right."  
  
"Always."  
  
"Also conceited."  
  
Ginny piped up "We can still investigate the other two houses though, there's a 50/50 chance they'd be in there."  
  
Ron nodded. "She's right, let's go. Slytherin first."  
  
Draco narrowed his eyes. "I don't think so Weasley, Gryffindor first."  
  
"Draco." Hermione's tone held warning.  
  
"Ronald." Pansy imitated Hermione.  
  
"Here's an idea, I'll go see if I can break into the other two houses and you couples go to opposite houses."  
  
Hermione smiled. "Good plan, Ginny. Draco and I will go to Gryffindor." With that they went off in the direction of the fat lady as Ron and Pansy headed for the dungeons.  
  
Hermione came to a stop in front of the familiar portrait whom was sleeping. Hermione cleared her throat and the fat lady jerked awake. "Password?" She asked in a slightly annoyed tone.  
  
Hermione looked at Draco worriedly but hesitantly said "Snape is gay."  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow as the portrait swung open. "Snape is gay?"  
  
"Hey, I didn't come of with."  
  
"Oh, wait till Snape hears about this." Draco smirked.  
  
"I'll deny it if you repeat it." Hermione snapped.  
  
"Okay, so where's the office?" Draco asked surveying the room.  
  
Hermione pointed up and they began to scale the steps. They inspected the red and gold office carefully but detected no evidence of a presence so they exited the Gryffindor common room. They weaved their way skillfully through the labyrinth of corridors until they reached the location they had occupied earlier and waited.  
  
Suddenly Ron's terrified form appeared at the end of the hallway. "Hermione! I know who the killer is! It's."  
  
All of the sudden a dark figure reached around from behind the red head to pull the rope circling his neck taut. He fell to the floor in a crumpled heap as Hermione and Draco rushed towards him and the fiend escaped.  
  
Ron was dead before they could reach him. Trevor croaked loudly from Hermione's hand. "Great, now Weasley's dead. Confound it! Now we'll never know who killed him!"  
  
"Draco."  
  
"I mean he was standing right here! He was gonna tell us and-"  
  
"Draco!"  
  
"What!"  
  
"It has to be Pansy."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, think logically, if Ron and Pansy go off and Pansy make's a murder attempt but misses she'd be the only one close enough to follow him."  
  
Draco's brow furrowed. "That's true."  
  
Suddenly Pansy came rushing down the hallway. "I lost Ron!"  
  
"Another one solved Nancy Drew."  
  
"Shut up! What happened Pansy?"  
  
"I walked into my common room and he wasn't behind me. I went outside and He wasn't there. I was so scared by myself."  
  
Just then Ginny came down the same corridor as Pansy at breakneck speed yelling "He's behind me!"  
  
Everyone broke into a run with Ginny as they saw a huge form come barreling toward them, abandoning Ron's still frame.  
  
Draco grasped Hermione's hand firmly as they sprinted away from the killer. Draco looked over his shoulder and suddenly stopped.  
  
Hermione's eyes widened "Are you crazy?!" She screamed.  
  
He ignored her and let go of her hand "Run Hermione." Hermione wanted to smack him, he was going to get himself killed. She kept her feet firmly planted as the figure rammed into Draco barreling them both over.  
  
Draco wound up on top of the unidentified person and ripped the potato sack off the person's head to reveal.  
  
"Crabbe!" Draco yelled. "What the hell are you doing, chasing Ginny Weasley down a dark corridor with a potato sack on your head?!"  
  
"Uh, I got my head stuck in the potato bag and heard a voice and followed it to see if they could help me."  
  
"My God you imbecile! You scared everyone out of their minds!"  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow "Everyone?"  
  
Draco glared at her "Everyone else."  
  
"Sure Draco." She smiled as he picked himself up off Crabbe.  
  
Pansy and Ginny appeared from around the corner and were given an explanation as to the scene before them.  
  
As they began to walk back to the Great Hall the voice reappeared on the intercom. "Thought you'd be smooth and try to find where I hide, well you couldn't get to me no matter how hard you tried. I'll stop all this violence for a small fee, All that I ask is for Hermione!" The intercom clicked off with deadly promise.  
  
Oh, poor Hermione! Who would possibly want to kill her? Keep guessing! Bye. 


	6. It's My Party And I'll Kill If I Want To

Okay, I was given a very interesting choice of either death by spoons or updating. Gee, tough choice. I guess you can tell which one I picked! The spoons!!!!!  
  
"We have to think. Who would want to kill me?" Hermione was pacing horizontally in the corridor and Crabbe was becoming slightly hypnotized by the backward-forward motion.  
  
Draco placed his hands on her shoulders, stilling her frame. "Other than Pansy, no one I know of."  
  
"Hey! I never said I wanted to kill her!" Pansy defended.  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow "Need I remind you of all the times you said 'We'll kill the little mud blood' or 'That mud blood's gonna pay'?  
  
Pansy stiffened "That was before I got to know her!"  
  
Draco chuckled "Oh, yes, so as not to make yourself seem suspicious."  
  
Pansy's eyes widened "What about you?"  
  
Draco looked taken aback "Me? What about me?"  
  
"You could have done it just as easily as I could have."  
  
Hermione and Draco shared a look. "No Pansy it wasn't me, I'm sure there's sufficient.evidence.of that fact." Draco smiled.  
  
Hermione blushed "Alright, so, there are only you two left to suspect." She pointed at the angel and the cat.  
  
Pansy glared at Ginny "It was you!" She accused, pointing a metal claw at the red head.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yeah right. Ginny? She wouldn't want to kill me. Besides she's been with me each time the intercom has come on."  
  
"So have I." Pansy pointed out.  
  
Hermione froze. That was true. But what about Crabbe? Hermione spun around to regard Crabbe with an icy glare. "You did it!"  
  
Crabbe looked up "Huh? You have food?"  
  
Draco shook his head "This dunce is too stupid to lurk, track and kill. Besides, his voice isn't high pitched, the voice on the intercom was most definitely female."  
  
"Curse you, you're right. But you know what this means. There's someone else besides the five of us in the building." Hermione stated flatly "Someone hell bent on killing me."  
  
Draco nodded "Precisely Watson, that would mean that we would have to create a trap."  
  
Hermione groaned "I knew you were gonna say that. Let me guess, I'm the bait."  
  
Draco smiled "See? I knew you were smart."  
  
She punched him in the arm, causing him to laugh.  
  
She sighed. "Regretting this immediately, lets get to it Sherlock."  
  
Suddenly a figure draped in black velvet robes, complete with a violet Halloween mask appeared at the opposite end of the corridor. It cackled maniacally and pulled the ripcord of a chainsaw as it charged forward towards the five.  
  
Crabbe peered at it through the darkness "Oh, do you have food?" He began to run at the figure. It let out a shriek of laughter and sliced Crabbe's head off swiftly, never breaking stride.  
  
"Run!" Draco ordered as the figure lunged closer. He held his ground until the person's weapon was scant inches from him before he twisted his body to the side, narrowly missing a slice and causing the attacker to fall and break the weapon  
  
It raised itself up, tossing it's recently broken chainsaw aside. "You think you've beat me?" With that it produced a dagger from the folds of black robes.  
  
Draco glared at the fiend when, suddenly, it bolted down the path the three girls had taken. "No! You coward! Get back here and fight!"  
  
The figure didn't take the bait and continuing it's running. Draco didn't hesitate, dashing after it. He would stab himself with that very dagger before he let that parody of a human being kill Hermione.  
  
Hermione clutched Ginny's hand as she sprinted down the hallway adjacent to the one they had previously occupied.  
  
All of the sudden Ginny let go. Hermione didn't care she kept running. She only stopped when she heard the smaller women's cry of distress. "Hermione!"  
  
Hermione whirled around to see Ginny, whom had obviously tripped, at the other end of the passageway with the murderer standing over her. They brought a wickedly gleaming dagger in to her flesh.  
  
Just then Draco came into view from around the corner. His silver gaze caught and held Hermione's. "Run!" He commanded sharply.  
  
Hermione shook her head as a tear fell from her eye.  
  
"Run!!!!!" Draco barked more fiercely.  
  
She didn't move. He ran to her and caught her arm, dragging her with him. "Damn you woman get in here!"  
  
He flung the janitor's closet open but before he could stuff Hermione safely inside Pansy, hanging by her neck, swung grotesquely outward to meet them.  
  
Hermione covered her mouth with her hands.  
  
"Damn it!" Draco screamed hurtling them both down the corridor toward the Great Hall.  
  
He burst through the huge oak doors, grabbed the giant carving knife protruding from the ham originally intended for them to feast upon, flung Hermione behind him and squared his shoulders in a defensive position and waited.  
  
The dark figure's silhouette loomed against the full moon as it stood menacingly in the doorway of the Hall.  
  
Draco narrowed his eyes and the killer sprang. Hermione screamed expecting to see Draco's corpse in a matter of minutes. But when the figure came up against Draco's frame it ricocheted off his heavily muscled chest and on to the floor. He quickly pinned them and removed the dagger from their grasp.  
  
He ripped off the mask to reveal.  
  
Dun, dun, dun! I know, how cruel can ya get? This was my sister's idea, I'm typically not a cliffhanger person. At least you have some thing to look forward to. Tootles! 


	7. The End?

I know, I know, it was evil of me to leave you on such a cliffhanger, but trust me it's about to get interesting, so enjoy!  
"Cho!"  
  
The Ravenclaw smiled mischievously. "Draco!"  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing!" Draco demanded in absolute outrage.  
  
Cho began to giggle uncontrollably. Draco glared at her. "I'm glad you find this funny, you maniac, but I would like an explanation!"  
  
Hermione placed a calming hand on Draco's shoulder. "You should have seen your face!" Gasped Cho. Suddenly all the lights came on and a single pair of hands clapping together slowly reached their ears from the entrance.  
  
"Bravo Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore emerged from the blackened hallway to stand, illuminated, before the infuriated blonde. "You requested an explanation and so here it is." He gestured toward the dining table and from underneath came Professor McGonagall.  
  
The Deputy Headmistress strolled curtly to the couple and amused 'killer'. She cleared her throat and Cho stopped her mirth fest. "This whole ball was a setup to test Miss Granger and your own skills, Mr. Malfoy."  
  
"But our peers are dead!" Draco enunciated.  
  
"Don't count your chickens before they hatch Malfoy." Caroled an all too familiar voice.  
  
Draco whirled around "Potter!"  
  
Sure enough Harry strode into the Hall trailed by Ron, Pansy, Neville, Crabbe, Ginny and Goyle all still adorned with their respective weapons and fake blood.  
  
Rage lit Hermione's eyes when they rested on Harry. "Harry Potter! I am going to kill you! For real!" She lunged but Draco restrained her.  
  
Dumbledore's blue eyes were sparkling with amusement as were McGonagall's. Hermione eventually gave up against Draco's strength and spun around to give McGonagall the full censure of her chocolate eyes.  
  
"Wait a minute. Why test us? For what?" Minerva was unable to suppress a smile now. "I am glad you asked Miss Granger, you see you and Mr. Malfoy were chosen candidates to be head girl and head boy. This, of course, means that in a state of crisis you would know what to do. You handled the scenario quite well. You planned and even caught the murderer, very impressive."  
  
Draco's silver eyes went frigid as they caught the gaze of his faithful servants. "Crabbe, Goyle? You went along with this?"  
  
Goyle shrugged "They gave us food."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "I sure to God hope that no axe murderer comes across you two and just happens to be carrying food, you two would go, 'Sure, you can chop my head off if you give me food'.  
  
Hermione's brow furrowed "Speaking of which, I saw your head get chopped off Crabbe. How'd you pull that off?"  
  
"Magic." Replied Dumbledore, obviously prepared for this inquiry. "With our help, the students quite masterfully faked their own deaths."  
  
Draco's tension eased slightly "So, we're head girl and head boy now?"  
  
Minerva nodded. "For next year, Mr. Malfoy."  
  
"Was that really necessary?" Hermione asked before she could stop herself "Couldn't you just choose us for our academics?"  
  
McGonagall laughed "No, believe it or not we run similar tests each year of course, we swear the ones who pass the test to secrecy."  
  
"What about the ones who don't pass?" Draco mused aloud.  
  
"We merely. . . . dispose of them." Replied McGonagall, with an evil glint in her eyes.  
THE END!  
  
Well, what'd ya think? I'm writing a romance next! I'm aiming for every genre if you can't tell! Thank everyone! Bye! 


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